Rotary valve mechanism.



PATENTED JUNE 12, 1906.

E. U. GODDARD. ROTARY VALVE MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23. 1905.

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No. 823,214. PATENTED JUNE 12, 1906.

E. 0. GODDARD.

ROTARY VALVE MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23. 1905.

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EVANDER (J. GODDARD, OF PERU, INDIANA.

ROTARY VALVE MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 12, 1906.

Application filed June 23, 1905- Serial No. 266.615.

tion of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in rotary valve mechanism for locomotives and other steam-engines.

The object of the invention is to provide valves and valve-gearing whereby the usual friction attending the operation of the common form of slide-valves is overcome and the efficiency of the engine is in consequence greatly increased.

The advantages are due to having separate rotary exhaust and admission valves and to the arrangement of the valve-gearing, which gives a constant lead at different rates of expansion. The arrangement is such that only one eccentric is necessary, and in changing the cut-0E the eccentric-strap is not changed in its relation to the eccentric.

It will be understood that the valves and mechanism are designed for one another and cannot be operated independently. It will be further understood that in providing separate admission and exhaust valves my invention gives a constant maximum exhaust-port opening with a varied admission-port opening, thereby entirely overcoming back pressure in the cylinder and giving the highest possible efficiency.

Preceding a detailed description of my invention reference is made to the accompanying drawings, of which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the front portion of a locomotive, showing the runninggear, with part of the boiler broken away. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line at x of Fig. 1, with one side broken away, showing the valves on one side of the eccentric. Fig. 3 is a view of one of the rotary valves. Fig. 4, 5, and 6 are detailed sectional views showing diflerent positions of the rotary valves. Fig. 7 is a detailed view of the double rockerarms.

Ina detailed description of the invention similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts.

1 designates the piston-cylinders, having mounted above them .valve-casin' s 2, with exhaust and admission ports 3, t at admit and discharge to and from both ends of the cylinders. These valves consist of hollow cylinders or shells 4 and 7, which have both ends open. The steam enters one end and strikes the valve-casing at the other. By this means a perfectly-balanced valve is provided. Each hollow valve 4 or 7 has within it a spider 4 and 7, by means of which the valve is rocked. Shafts 4 and 7" pass through said spiders and project through stufling-boxes of suitable construction on the valve-casings. At the outer ends of shafts 4 and 7" are cranks 37 and 26, which have connections to the gearing, by means ofwhich the valves are locked and regulated.

7 designates the exhaust-valves, which are seated in the lower portions of the valve-casings and have a single port 8, which alternately registers witn the ports 3, communicating with the piston-cylinder. As the valves are shown in Fig. 4 the admissionvalve affords communication with one end of the cylinder, and the other end of the cylinder discharges through the exhaust-valve. The valves receive their motion through the following mechanism, which is operated from eccentrics 9 on an axle of one of the drivingwheels. There is one of these eccentrics on each side, each having a rod 10 extending from eccentric-strap 11. These rods 10 have a traveling connection with reversing-links 12 which are supported by hangers 13, made secure to the side frames 14. The connections between the eccentric-rods l0 and the reversing-links 12 are made by means of sliding blocks that are fitted and moved within the slots in said reversing-links. The reversing operations are obtained through link connections 15 and 16, thelatter being fast on a tumbling-shaft 17 ,which is connected to a crankarm 18. This arm 18 in turn has a reversing reach-rod 19 connected to it, said reach-rod extending back into the cab, where it is manually operated whenever it is necessary to reverse the reversing-valves. By the link 12 the changing of the eccentric-rods 10 from the top to the bottom of the link gives a uniform motion in both directions from the same eccentric. As shown in Fig. 1, the eccentric 10 is in the lower end of the link, inwhich position a forward motion is obtained. When eccentric 10 is moved to the upper portion of said link, the motion is reversed.

and 21 designate double rocker-arms, which are fulcrumed on a common pivot 22 on the frame 14. The upper arm 20 is connected with the reversing-link 12 by a top transmission-bar 23, and the lower arm 21 is connected with the lower portion of said reversing-link 12 by a lower transmissionbar 24.

Connected with the upper arm 20 of the double rocker-arms is an exhaust-valve rod 25, which is directly connected with the ex haust-valve 7 by means of a crank 26, said crank being connected with the axis of said exhaust-valve. Means are also provided for operating the admission-valve 4 from the same pivot to wit, pivot 27, which is carried upon the upper arm 20 of the double rockerarms and has a similar movement therefrom to the movement imparted to the exhaust-valve rod 25. These means for operating the admission-valve to vary the expansion consist of a short connecting-rod 28, which, as before stated, is connected to the same pivot 27 to which bar is connected. The middle portion of the connecting-rod 28 is connected with a cut-ofI hanger 29, which is suspended from a crank-arm 30 from a tumbling-shaft 31, the latter shaft having a crank 32 extending therefrom, to which is connected a cut-off reach-rod 33, which extends back into the engine-cab or other point where it may be operated inamanner similar to reachrod 19 to vary the expansion. The forward end of the connecting-rod 28 connects with a slotted cut-off link 34. This link is pivoted on a rock-shaft 35, that is mounted in bearings on the side frames 14. The axes of the admission-valves are connected with this link 34 by a connecting-rod 36 and a crank-arm 37, the latter being connected in a manner similar to the connection of the crank-arm 26. The valve-rods are regulated by means of the turnbuckles 25 and 36, thereby avoiding the adjusting of the eccentric-blades. The dimensions of the cut-ofi links 34 are such that the travel of the admission-valves can be reduced to the amount of lap, thereby shutting off the steam in cases where the operations of the throttle are interfered With.

Referring to Fig. 6, the position of the ex haust-valves is such as to open both ends of the piston-cylinder to the atmosphere, which is important in cases of breakdown, which prevents the cylinder from acting as a compressor, and thereby retarding or interfering with the movements of the engine in transporting the same by other power and as dead-weight. In order to place the exhaustvalves in such position, the crank 26 of said exhaust valve or valves is disconnected from its connecting-rod and the valve is moved to the position shown in Fig. 6. It will be unmission-valve,

derstood that Fig. 4 represents the positions of the valves when the piston has reached the limit of its travel in the cylinder in one or the other direction, and the pistoq shown in Fig. 5 indicates the medium position in the travel of the piston where it is neither exhausting nor taking in steam.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. In a rotary valve mechanism for locomotives or other steam-engines, the combination with a rotary admission-valve, of a cut-off link to vary the movement of said valve and thereby vary the expansion of the steam behind the piston, double rocker-arms, connections between the cut-off link and said rocker-arms, a reversing-link which is operated from an eccentric on a driven axle and connections between said reversing-link and said rocker-arms.

2. In a rotary valve mechanism for locomotives and other steam-engines, the combination with a cylindrical rotary admissionvalve, of a cut-off link to vary the movement of said valve, rocker-arms, connections between said cut-off link and said rocker-arms, and means for adjusting the positions of the connections between the cut-off link and the rocker-arms whereby the proper movements of the valve are obtained.

3. In a rotary valve mechanism of the type specified, the combination with a rotary adof a cut-off link to vary the movements of said valve, rocker-arms, connections betwee-i said rocker-arms and the cut-ofl? link, means for adjusting the position of said connections to vary the movements of the valve, a reversing link, connections between said reversing-link and said rockerarms, and an eccentric driven from an axle and connected with said reversing-link.

4. In a rotary valve mechanism, the combination with a rotary admission-valve and a similar exhaust-valve, rockerarms, means said rocker-arms and said valves for impartin different movements to said valves, an a pivotal cut-ofi link with means for varying the connections therewith between said c'utoff link and the interposed between admission-valve whereby the movements, of'

the admissio n-valve may be varied.

5. In a rotary valve mechanism, the combination with rotary admission and exhaust valves, of double rocker-arms operated from one eccentric, connections between said rocker-arms and said valves whereby the admission-valve may be given variable movement while the exhaust-valve is given a definite movement. I

6. In a rotary valve mechanism, the combination with rotary adm ssion and exhaust valves, of a single eccentric, a reversing-link connected with said eccentric, a double rockerarm, connections bBtWGG'l said reversing-link and the upper and lower arms of said double rocker-arms, connections between the upper arm of said double rocker-arms and the admission and exhaust valves, and means interl posed in the connections between the admjssion-valve and the rocker-arms for varying the movements of said admission-valve.

7. In a rotary valve mechanism, the combination with rotary admission and exhaust valves, rocker-arms, an eccentric, connections between said rocker-arms and said eccentric, connections between the upper arm of the rocker-arms and the exhaust-valve, connections between the upper arm of said rocker-arms and the admission-valve, said connections being upon a common pivot which connects with the upper arm of the rocker-arms, the connections with the adand said cut-off link whereby the movement of the admission-valve is regulated to vary the expansion of steam admitted behind the piston.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

EVANDER O. GODDARD.

Witnesses:

LESTER L. ALLEN, BERT O. POTTER. 

